Independent Unionist MLA for South Down John McCallister is calling on the Department for Regional Development’s Minister to give a genuine commitment to deal with the continuing decline of the upkeep and repair of our rural roads.
Mr McCallister said: “The current state of some of our roads in the rural parts of my constituency are so bad that they represent a serious hazard to motorists.
“There are pot holes appearing almost on a daily basis and simply filling them in with gravel is not a sensible long-term solution. I understand that the budget for roads maintenance is not an infinite pot but I have to ask the question, is it not a false economy sending someone out to constantly fill in the same pot hole when a more permanent repair would remove the problem for much longer?
“It is a known fact that the majority of road deaths over the last couple of years have occurred on rural roads. It is therefore imperative that the Minister commits to provide investment to make them safer; one aspect of this is ensuring they are properly maintained”.
